


stay as sweet as you are

by bleakmidwinter



Category: Rope (1948)
Genre: :/, Fake Dating, Gay Love, Homoeroticism, Janet's POV, M/M, Prep School, Young Love, from david fuckley, janet ships it, my janet being a badass bitch, prep school era, slight homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-24 07:30:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18162863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bleakmidwinter/pseuds/bleakmidwinter
Summary: a story from janet's perspective of the beginning of her relationship with brandon shaw and his friend's from somerville, slowly realizing there's more than meets than eye





	stay as sweet as you are

**Author's Note:**

> title from nat king cole's "stay as sweet as you are"

There is nothing better than three scoops of strawberry ice cream on a warm spring day, in Janet Walker’s opinion. Though her friends have skipped out on their group plans yet again, she decides not to be too crushed by the setback and go into town by herself and enjoy her time at her favorite ice cream parlor.

 

As any good young girl would when boredom strikes.

 

What she doesn’t plan on, is running into a row of four impressively handsome young men of about her age taking up every barstool in a line. She sits in the booth adjacent to them, and faces their way. The two blonde ones seem to have noticed her walk in, whispering to each other and glancing over at her like she’s a collectable. 

 

Janet has never had an issue with being the center of a man’s attention. Most women might feel differently, but it’s almost empowering to know that she could easily have any of them wrapped around her thumb. Perhaps her vanity is getting in the way of her personal progress. A worker in a tight apron strolls over and asks if she’d like anything, and she gives him her order. 

 

She cranes her neck discreetly to look at the other two boys who were apparently too absorbed in each other to notice her entrance. One is lanky, and tall, the other smaller and clean-cut. The smaller one has slicked back black hair, and is extremely handsome. She’s almost peeved the blonde ones are apparently the only ones interested. 

 

A few minutes later, she forgets the boys are there and her thoughts are in her pink bowl of ice cream. If her friend Mary were here, she’d flirt with all four of the men at the same time. She glances up again when she hears their whispering getting louder. The blonde one with only a tad semblance of facial hair is nudging the other lighter blonde, as if he means to get up and come over. His feet are practically on the ground, when the tall lanky brunette she hadn’t originally taken much notice of gets up and walks over at such a quick pace, he’s standing in front of her before she can process it.

 

He is much more handsome up close, he’s got a charming grin that doesn’t fade, and he’s extremely well kept, nails even seeming manicured. 

 

He starts speaking, and his voice is as grating as it is smooth. A strangely articulate one. “Would it behoove you if I told you how beautiful you are, Miss…”

 

“Walker. Janet Walker,” She supplies. “And no, I don’t suppose it would.” 

 

Janet’s girlfriends are going to have a mad hoot when they hear she’s been courted at the parlor without them today. By one of the most charming men she’s ever laid eyes on.

 

“You’re not so bad yourself, chum,” She adds with ease. Always adept at flirting.

 

“Janet would you consider going out with me this Friday night? We can meet here. I promise you it’ll be worth your while.” He says this louder than he’d been speaking, almost as if he wants his three friends to hear. She doesn’t mind.

 

“You haven’t even told me your name,” She notes and ignores the fact her ice cream is slowly but surely melting.

 

“Brandon Shaw. How about seven o clock?” 

  
“Sounds good to me. I didn’t have plans anyway,” She says, and smirks down at her bowl as she senses him walking back to his barstool. When she glances up she catches the eye of the raven haired boy. Having been the most attractive to Janet’s eye only moments before, he is now staring her down with a hideous glare, like he’s imagining her burning up in a fire. It unnerves her and she hurriedly glances back at her ice cream.

 

Her excitement about a date Friday has almost fully diminished; she wonders why the boy stared at her so cruelly. She doesn’t believe she’s ever been looked at like that. When she dares to glance back up, the blonde boys are grumbling to each other under their breath, and Brandon is whispering something to the raven haired boy, and the tension in his body seems to drain slightly after, though he doesn’t look back at Janet the rest of her time in the parlor. 

 

He only stares at Brandon.

 

* * *

 

Brandon’s presence completely shifts when he shows up at the parlor on Friday. He bustles in and his eyes are glossed over like he’s in a different world. It takes him a minute to see her in the booth on the far right. 

 

He smiles, but there’s no meaning behind it. She wonders what caused this change.

 

“Hello Janet,” He says and stutters over her name. She’s convinced he’s a different person, his hair isn’t even completely in tact like it had been when she met him days prior. 

 

“Are you alright? You look afright,” Probably aren’t the best words to start a date, but they slip out of Janet so fast she can’t backtrack. 

 

“I had a bit of a scuffle with a...close friend of mine, but everything is settled. I apologize,” he says like it’s scripted. She’ll believe him, though. Sometimes arguments can get out of hand; it would explain his being disheveled. 

 

“What are the plans?” She asks as she stands. He helps her put her coat back on. 

 

“Hadn’t really thought that through,” he says with a chuckle. He’s nervous.

 

“What happened to ‘i’ll make it worth your while’ chum,” She teases. He seems genuinely conflicted and uncomfortable so she nudges him with her elbow.

 

“Loosen up, we’ll hit up the town. Perhaps the theater?”

 

Brandon visibly relaxes. “Sounds wonderful.” 

 

They have a perfect time chatting, Janet can’t deny that. It’s as if there is an invisible barrier between them that prevents her from outright acknowledging that this is even a date. Perhaps she got the wrong idea at the parlor and this is merely a hang out. Why the pretense of flirtation then? No, he wouldn't be going out with her alone if he didn't want this to be a date. But, he makes every effort to avoid any advances she tries to make, verbal or otherwise.

 

She leans into him halfway through the film, and he leans away keeping at least two inches between their shoulders. She tells him he's handsome multiple times, and he smiles but more self indulgently smug than pleased at a woman's compliment. 

 

By the end of the night she assumes he likes her, but not in the way she wants. It's disappointing. He's too attractive to merely go on just one date with. But, she'll respect his wishes.

 

When they reach the curb just outside the theater, Janet sticks her hands in her coat pockets to avoid the chill of the breeze. In the next moment, her feet almost give out from under her when Brandon says, “Would you like to go steady?”

 

Despite the disconnect of the date, she agrees before she can stop herself. “Yes, actually that would be lovely.”

 

“Do you mind coming to Somerville prep tomorrow to have lunch with me, if you can get a ride that is,” Brandon suggests. 

 

She nods. “I can make do.”

 

“Perfect.” She expects him to kiss her cheek in the very least or at least touch her in some shape or form, but he's already walking away as she is beginning to process what she just agreed to.

 

The issues of this date could be marked down to the argument he mentioned. Men are fickle with emotions, they feel deeper than they'd like to admit. It could have been affecting him worse than she imagined.

 

Janet is sure he'll be more upbeat tomorrow.

 

* * *

 

 

Janet is correct. Brandon is more upbeat today, but not precisely in the ways she'd hoped.

 

She had assumed the night before when he’d invited her to lunch at his prep school it would be just the two of them, but he apparently had invited his friends David, Kenneth, and Phillip to join them. The same three men from the parlor where she'd first met Brandon. They all are sitting together around a wooden table outside. 

 

David seemed bothered, and barely greeted her at all. Kenneth was a dear, smiling brightly, reaching out to shake her hand, and Phillip — well  — it was obvious he had an issue with her. He refused to make eye contact when Brandon said, “This is Phillip Morgan, pianist prodigy and one of my closest friends.”

 

Janet had reached out her hand and after a few beats of stillness, Brandon added, “Shake her hand now, Phillip.”

 

And like a dog who knew he would not receive a treat later if he did not comply, Phillip reached out a stiff hand from across the table and shook Janet's. In a velvety whisper he said, “How do you do.”

 

Janet had smiled awkwardly and lunch proceeded. 

 

Brandon barely acknowledged her existence the entire time, and she was beginning to question what exactly she found charming about this man. Kenneth was keeping her company, noticing Brandon absorbed in his own speech on philosophy. 

 

Kenneth leans forward and whispers, “Don't mind him, Janet. He's always in his own head. I'm sure he likes you.”

 

“I’d debate that,” David grumbles. 

 

“I sure would hope so, we  _ are  _ together now officially.”

 

Phillip drops the fork he's holding, and Janet watches his gaze turn cold, staring up at Brandon. Brandon stops talking and registers what she just said.

 

“I was going to break that news lightly,” He notes.

 

“I don't see why you should have to,” She says with a shrug. 

 

“Quite interesting, Shaw. Didn't think you the type,” David says and pokes at his sandwich with a nail-bitten finger.

 

Phillip stands abruptly. “If you would excuse me, I feel ill all of a sudden.” He speed walks towards the main hall, somewhere he can lock himself away for a while most likely.

 

Janet can tell something else is bothering him. She glances to Brandon to see if she can perhaps get one of them to go speak to him, but he's already getting up and rubbing a thumb over his lip. A nervous tick. “I'll be right back,” he mumbles and makes his way towards the same doors Phillip vanished through.

 

“Phillip is a very unique individual,” Kenneth says softly. Janet can tell he's not trying to be catty, just help her understand the situation.

 

David on the other hand, is a different story. 

 

“He's got a weird obsession with Brandon. You should see the kid's eyes on him during our Philosophy club meetings. It's like Brandon is the only person on Earth who exists,” David chimes. “Freak.”

 

“Phillip's just had trouble making friends in the past,” Kenneth says. “Brandon is very patient with him, which you are not.”

 

“I've had my patience with those types of kids,” David says and lights a cigarette he'd dragged out of his suit pocket. “He's going to grow up shaky and insecure. He'll never be a real man.”

 

Janet frowns. There is never any reason to be so cruel about someone when you don't know their situation. “Is that why he ran away?” She asks, looking pointedly at Kenneth for an answer.

 

“Because of Brandon? I don't know really, I couldn't say. I heard a rumor he cried in Freshman year once because one of his plants died. It could be something as simple as that.”

 

Brandon returned about ten minutes later, looking just as much of a mess he had the previous night. There was a sadness that loomed over him now, and he barely spoke the rest of lunch until the bell.

 

When he and his friends walked back to their dorms, she felt lost. He hadn't even said goodbye to her, just slipped her a note asking to meet on Tuesday. She felt like she'd been thrown into the jungle without a map. Any normal girl might break up with a man for not paying enough attention. She found Brandon curious, a mystery she wanted to solve. Perhaps that’s a foolish reason for staying with him, but it's not as if much else is going on in her life.

 

That night when she slept, she thought about the despair on Phillip's face at lunch seconds before he ran away.  
  


* * *

 

Brandon and Janet go on a few more dates. All similar to the first. He avoids her advances, but they have a lovely time talking. They share the same opinion on critics in philosophical newspaper columns. She tells him about her internships at publishing companies, and he cracks jokes about her bosses. She isn't allowed to bring up Phillip out of curiosity, but she is forced to listen to Brandon prattle on about his issues with one  _ David Kentley _ .

 

“How long have you two been close?” Janet asks about Phillip one Friday evening, later into the month. They've been dating for two weeks. She sips her coffee.

 

It's the first time Brandon cracks. “The beginning of Freshman year.”

 

“So about two years then,” she says.

 

“Why, Janet? I don't want to talk about him,” he says. It's rare he is unable to make eye contact, but he swirls the spoon around in his untouched coffee staring down into the blackness of it with a placid gaze.

 

“But you want to talk about friends you despise, not friends you like,” She notes.

 

“Who said I liked Phillip?” He asks defensively.

 

“You said you're close.”

 

“I'm close with David too.” He shrugs.

 

“So you don't like any of your friends,” she says as a statement rather than a question. Brandon doesn't say anything for a moment or two, swirling the coffee still.

 

“I like Kenneth.”

 

“Hogwash.” 

 

“That word doesn't sound clean on an American woman's tongue,” Brandon sneers.

 

“Have it your way, I'm leaving.” She gets up from her seat and grabs her coat as he scrambles to follow. 

 

When she reaches the sidewalk outside he grabs her by the arm to stop her. She laughs, completely at the end of her rope.

 

“I think that's the first time you've touched me in the whole time we've been together.”

 

“It's barely been two weeks,” he says, genuinely confused.

 

“That's long enough, Brandon.” She huffs and crosses her arms from the cold. New York is chilly even in spring. Brandon awkwardly moves an arm around her, rubbing her arms through her coat. She doesn't think she's ever met a man so beautiful yet so foolish.

 

She breaks from his light grip to turn and face him. He stares blankly, and for the life of her she wishes she could see some sort of passion behind those eyes. 

 

“Kiss me,” she says.

 

It kills her to see the blood drain from his cheeks, and his eyes bulge. Like she's asking him to go run out into oncoming traffic.

 

“What.” 

 

“Kiss me,” she says again. Firmly. She needs to know this isn't just a game to him, as she's come to know the hard way, he takes great pleasure in pranks.

 

It takes him a minute. He licks his lips and leans down. He's so slow she's afraid she might start laughing. When she can feel his breath on her lips, she closes the gap and kisses him. It lasts a few seconds, and he's completely still. When she pulls away, he straightens up and looks like he's seen a ghost.

 

“I'll see you tomorrow?” He stutters. She can't tell if he genuinely likes her or despises her. She sighs.

 

“Of course.”

 

Janet cries in her bed that night. She doesn't know why. She barely knows Brandon, it's not like he's the one. Perhaps she was hoping just one relationship in her life would go according to plan. She calls Kenneth Lawrence on a whim, having talked to him a few times through lunch “dates” or bumping into him on his campus. She asks if they can meet and he agrees readily. 

 

* * *

 

“I just don't know what to do.”

 

“I'd say call it quits,” Kenneth suggests. He is sitting with her on a bench in front of Somerville. “He obviously makes you unhappy.” 

 

“But, he does make me happy. Perhaps not romantically, but we have such good conversations,” She says and taps her shoes together mindlessly.

 

“Stay friends.”

 

“And do what? Go on friend-dates? I don't think men and women can have such a privilege.”

 

“What do you think you and I are doing now? I think with someone like Brandon,” Kenneth begins, “it might work. He's so charismatic, he'd be able to make his peers believe anything. I'm sure everything would work out in your favor. And, Janet,  _ I'm  _ your friend. I don't want you to be down, I'd never want that. I know we haven't known each other long, but I care for you.”

 

Janet blinks at him, and for the first time she notices how his eyes compliment every other feature on his face. Oh lord, she's attracted to her boyfriend's colleague. This happened to her friend Mary who split up an entire football team just for dating two quarterbacks at the same time. 

 

“I'll call it quits,” she says finally. 

 

“You'll feel better,” Kenneth promises and he pats her shoulder briefly. 

 

She feels out of her mind. 

 

In that moment, Phillip strolls by holding three books tight against his chest. When he sees her, he makes a small mousy noise and makes to turn away, but she catches him in time.

 

“Phillip! Come over here.”

 

He turns and she can see his lips are pursed and his arms are stiff. He walks over. “Hello Janet. Hello Ken.”

 

“How are you, angel?” She asks. 

 

Janet makes a point to be overtly kind to him every time she bumps into him now. It's her way of diminishing her own guilt. Guilt of what, she doesn't know. She just knows that she feels a twinge of it whenever she sees Phillip's face droop because of her.

 

“Going to study for music composition class,” he says softly. 

 

Kenneth huffs. “I'm sure you'll be as good as Mozart one day, Phil.” 

 

“I don't know,” Phillip replies. His cheeks are pink. Janet leans forward on her elbows 

 

“Have you seen Brandon around, dear? I needed to speak with him about something.” 

 

Phillip's expression turns icy and his jaw clenches. “No, I haven't seen him at all. Anywhere. If you'd excuse me.” Phillip shuffles away like an angry goose. 

 

“Strange,” Kenneth says a couple seconds later.

 

Janet glances over. “What's that?”

 

“I could have bet my life Phillip just had a class with Brandon. Mathematics I would have guessed.”

 

* * *

 

No one seemed to know where Brandon had gone. She waits a few days for a call, but she doesn't receive any. She's beginning to think she'll be the one broken up with instead of vice versa when he calls her in her home a day later.

 

He sounds oddly chipper.

 

“Janet, my love!” 

 

“Yes?” She asks, skeptical.

 

“Would you like to come with me to Phillip's piano concert on Friday? I've been helping him practice for the past few days, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.”

 

Normally she has to pry any information about Phillip out of him if she wants it, and  _ usually  _ she makes plans for dates herself because of his incompetence with the matter. She is almost angry he's suddenly changed tone.

 

“I suppose. I do want to discuss something with you, whether it be before or after,” she says eventually.

 

“Perfect! I'll pick you up at seven.”

 

He hangs up the phone before she can get another word in. 

 

This isn't the best situation. She shouldn't have agreed to go to a concert with him when she no longer wants to be with him. How lovely it would have been if Kenneth had asked. Of course he wouldn't have; she's with Brandon. And Kenneth is a proper gentleman. 

 

Janet hits her head against her bureau lightly. Such a mess she's made.

 

* * *

 

Janet finds herself at Somerville on Thursday, a day before the concert. It's a risk, but she wants to catch Brandon before Friday. She isn’t sure she can go through with it without him knowing what she wants. And if he doesn't wish to be friends after, then he'll be losing a fantastic colleague. 

 

She straightens up and flattens down her hair with a hand before walking into the practice rooms. A residential assistant had pointed her in this direction, saying that Phillip Morgan usually practices in room 2001B. If Brandon isn't there, she'll have to make do elsewhere. 

 

When she reaches the door, she feels an unfamiliar twinge of fright. It's just Brandon, nothing more. She wishes she would have knocked, but not wanting to disturb Phillip's piano playing, she opens the door as silently as she can muster, just a crack to pear in. She does not hear the piano, the lights are on, and she almost drops to the floor when her eyes fall on the small sofa in the right corner of the practice room.

 

Brandon is in Phillip lap, suit jacket discarded on the floor, suspenders rolled off his shoulders, and he's kissing Phillip more intensely than she's ever seen in any moving picture. Phillip kisses back just as strongly, his legs are propped up around Brandon's waist, and his hands are gently cradling Brandon's face. They move together like two perfect puzzle pieces. Janet closes the door as quietly as she had opened it.

 

They hadn't noticed.

 

Her heart is beating like a hummingbird, and she stumbles down the hall of the school, hyper aware of the click of her heels on the tile. She doesn't know what to think. She can't think. She puts a hand on the wall to steady herself. It takes her a good half hour to get back to her friend's car. Her friend doesn't ask why she looks like she's seen a ghost, and she is driven home in silence.

 

She sleeps that night, surprisingly. And when she wakes, she feels like what she saw is now a distant dream. 

 

What shocks her the most is that she has no issue with what she witnessed. Most people in this day and age would consider it a crime. It shouldn't be a crime. She's mostly relieved that everything makes sense to her now. Brandon acting so dismissive of her, Phillip being so hostile and uncomfortable around her. She almost feels worse, she'd been with his crush, or lover, or…

 

Janet now wonders how long they've been together. If Brandon asked her out before while he already had something ongoing with Phillip, there must have been an ulterior motive. What a crummy fellow. She'll have to give him a stern talking to. She'll have to apologize to Phillip. For now, all she wants is breakfast.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Janet dresses up in a sparking red dress for the concert. If she sees Kenneth, she wants to look her best. And she wants Phillip to know she treats his concert as seriously as she would treat a professional matinee. 

 

When Brandon picks her up and they arrive at Somerville, he holds out his arm so she can take it. She does, and can't help but smirk. It's funny, knowing such a secret. She'll be sure to tease him about this in the future after this is all over. She'll wait until the concert is finished before she calls it quits and confess what she saw. She wouldn't dare do it in a public space, or ruin Phillip’s show. Their privacy is their privacy.

 

They get the front row, which is always a little too close for Janet's tastes. And she can't see far enough back in the rows to see if Kenneth's come. Brandon nudges her when the curtains open and points to Phillip on the piano as if she couldn't see him for herself. Brandon's eyes sparkle and his hands twitch at his sides. 

 

She watches him between glances as Phillip plays. He smiles and his eyelashes flutter, and his leg bouncing actually stops during a very impactful crescendo. He's mesmerized. He's in love. Janet hadn’t assumed their relationship ran this deep. She can see it in every minuscule expression in his face. Every flicker of love, pouring out him. Despite their youth, she knows it's real. She's almost jealous. Not of Phillip, or of Brandon, but of the possibility she might never find anyone that means so much to her as they do to each other. 

 

When it's over, they stand to clap, and Brandon all but drags her backstage to congratulate Phillip in person. He shakes Phillip's hand, with his other hand placed strategically on his upper back. “Wonderful show, Phillip.” Janet wonders how tough it must be to hold back; she'd never considered it. How it must feel to hide your love for someone. She brings Phillip in for a hug when they're done, which he obviously wasn't expecting. He tenses up instantly. 

 

“Come now, Phillip. That's not how you hug a lady,” she says kindly.

 

He loops one arm around her and pats her back awkwardly. She releases him and asks Brandon if they can have a word in private. Brandon looks utterly confused, and Phillip looks disappointed again. This time, Janet understands. 

 

“I won't steal him away from you for more than a few minutes,” she promises Phillip with a wink. Even in the backstage darkness, she can see his cheeks turning red.

 

Brandon reluctantly follows her outside and he brings her to a part of the stone wall that wraps around Somerville. He lies down on top of it and stares up at the stars.

 

“What is it, Janet?” He asks with a sigh.

 

“I was thinking we call things off,” she says simply. He opens his mouth and for a few moments, he's completely silent.

 

“I appreciate you waiting until after the concert to break the news.” He tosses a loose stone up into the sky and catches it while it falls back down.

 

“No big reaction? You're practically a showman, I'd expect you make a scene. A woman calling quits with Brandon Shaw and not the other way around? I thought you held more pride,” she says. It’s not like she wants him to, but she’d think he’d at least have the decency to pretend like this meant something. For her sake. 

 

He glares at her. “Do you want me to hit you?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“You're practically begging me to be angry. I’m not. If this is what you want, so be it.”

 

“It is what I want,” Janet says, and takes a deep breath. “It's what you want too.”

 

He scoffs. “Nobody knows what I want.”

 

“You want Phillip,” she claims. He freezes and the stone that had been tossed in the air lands on the ground. “And you deserve to have what you want. I promise you, you do. You don't need me as a cover when it-”

 

“What are you on about?” He snaps viciously and hops up on his feet. He moves like a crocodile, too quick to register, looming over her with angry round eyes. For a moment she thinks he actually  _ might  _ hit her. “What are you insinuating?!”

 

She swallows. “I saw you.”

 

“What?!”

 

“With him! I saw you with Phillip kissing, in the practice room last night. Five pm. I can log the exact minute if you like. I can tell you exactly where your jacket was thrown to the ground. Three steps in front of the piano bench.” 

 

Any hostility Brandon was still harboring drains from him entirely. He is defeated. “I see,” he whispers, looking sickly. “Janet, listen, I don't often beg but for Phillip's sake I must implore you to keep this silent. I'll get on my knees if I must-”

 

“Shush, you,” Janet responds with a light slap to his face. He blinks and turns back towards her expectant as a stray dog. 

 

“I would never tell anyone. It's your secret. It's your life. But, I thought you should know that I saw it. Makes any interaction between us in the future less uncomfortable for me. I have no issue with it by the way, I think it's sweet. I just wish you hadn't dragged me into it all. Poor Phillip! Have you not thought of his feelings?”

 

Brandon rubs nervously at his neck. “Well, you see, I'm-”

 

“You didn't need me as a cover! You're perfectly charismatic on your own, you could convince any person that your preference is in women, except to any poor woman that  _ does  _ decide to be with you. Don't make the same mistake again,” she says with a sure finality. He seems smug. She narrows her eyes.

 

“You weren't a cover, Janet.” 

 

“What? What is it then?” She asks, incredulous.

 

He lets out a sharp laugh. “I overheard David preparing to ask you out, so I stepped in to spite him. Needless to say it went too far.” Brandon starts to break out a cigarette as she processes this.

 

“You're joking,” she says. “This was all just some revenge scheme?”

 

Brandon shrugs. 

 

“Why did you string me along for nearly a whole month?!”

 

“I had plans to increase David's envy, but Phillip started getting restless, and David went on vacation. It was all a big mess. I should have planned it out better.” Brandon blows smoke into the night sky.

 

“This is rich,” she says sardonically. “I actually felt bad for you. How very  _ Brandon Shaw _ .”

 

“We can still be friends, Janet. I do enjoy your company. Forgive me?” He asks with a smirk. He waggles a hand at her. It’s barely an apology.

 

Janet wants to slap him again, harder this time. But  _ damn _ his charm. She wouldn't want to break all contact off with him, even if his motives were corrupt. She told Kenneth as much. She shakes his hand.

 

“I'm still angry.”

 

“I assumed. Would you like to tell Phillip yourself, that you, well, that you  _ know _ . I would, but I fear he'd explode if I phrased your knowing the wrong way,” Brandon waves his hand in the air, “he worries too much about everything.” 

 

“Being with you does that,” Janet remarks. Brandon snorts.

 

* * *

 

Brandon and Janet planned lunch at the parlor the next day, where it all began, and where Janet hopes it will all end for Phillip. She's been feeling increasingly worse about her presence as of late, and hopes once all the air is cleared, they might become something of friends.

 

Phillip and Brandon sit on one side of the booth, and Janet sits parallel. She waits until they all get sodas before she starts.

 

“Phillip, sweetie, I want to apologize.”

 

“What for?” He asks. Up close his eyes bulge out of his head, and are perfectly round with curiosity and with fright. It’s as if he’s always expecting someone to start yelling at him. She opens her mouth to speak but Brandon interrupts.

 

“We're getting married after we graduate,” Brandon lies with a fake sigh. “She asked and I couldn't say no.”

 

Janet's jaw drops and she watches Phillip's expression crack into a slow heartbreak.

 

“You monster, he's gone through enough!” She says and pokes him hard in the chest. He grunts, and then rolls his eyes.

 

“Please,” Brandon drawls. “He likes it.”

 

“He's joking Phillip,” she adds.

 

“What? I'm confused.” Phillip is holding his soda so tight Janet fears the glass will shatter. She reaches out a hand to calm him. 

 

“Long story short, I saw you too in the practice room on Thursday. I came to call it quits with Brandon, but you two were otherwise  _ occupied _ .”

 

Phillip swerves to glare at Brandon, and it’s the first time she’s heard him lash out at Brandon. “You said you locked the door! You always say that!”

 

Brandon shrugs. “Where's the danger in that?”

 

Phillip's face is increasingly beginning to match the deep red of the booth cushions. Janet squeezes Phillip’s hand to ground him. “Phillip I want you to know I've told no one and have no intention of telling anyone, and I hold no judgement of you. In fact, I hope we can be friends, and you can confide in me if need be.”

 

Phillip stares at her like she's otherworldly. “Why would you want that?”

 

“We never had fair first impressions. I would like to start over if that's alright with you. After I apologize for what Brandon put you through.”

 

Already jumping to Brandon's defense, Phillip is stumbling over his words. “Well, he had a reason, and-”

 

“I know his reasons,” Janet says with a pointed glare in Brandon's direction who is staring off into the direction of the jukebox as if he doesn't exist in this conversation, “and I believe them to be utterly ridiculous and a burden for the both of us.”

 

Phillip actually chuckles. “Perhaps.”

 

“Don't agree with her,” Brandon retorts.

 

“She makes a good point, Brandon,” Phillip teases and Brandon rolls his eyes.

 

“I also want you to know we didn't do anything unbecoming while we were  _ apparently  _ together,” Janet adds.

 

“I know you two kissed,” Phillip shifts in his seat awkwardly, averting his gaze.

 

“After I practically ordered him to. Twice. And it was barely a kiss. It felt like kissing a brick wall,” Janet says. “Rightfully so.” 

 

Phillip smiles softly and Brandon does too, completely turned away from the table and Phillip's line of view. Janet eventually smiles too and she finishes her soda.

 

“Well, ducks, I'll be off. Hopefully I'll see you around soon,” Janet says. As she's sliding her coat on Phillip blurts out, “Wait!” She does.

 

“There's something I think you should know.”

 

Janet glances at Brandon, but he seems just as in the dark about whatever Phillip is referring to as she is. She sits back down slowly, placing her purse at her side. Brandon is staring at Phillip with a narrowed gaze.

 

“Kenneth told me something, about you, I’m unsure if it’s something you’d want to hear,” Phillip says. 

 

“Well, what did he say?”

 

“Um, he said he felt ashamed.”

 

“Of what?” Brandon asks with a laugh.

 

“He says he believes he likes you, Janet. And he felt ashamed because you were Brandon’s girl. And that you thought of him as just a friend.”

 

“He should be ashamed! Trying to come after my women,” Brandon declares, lighting a cigarette. Phillip throws him a sour look.

  
“Did he really say that?” Janet asks. Her heart feels like it’s beating out of her chest.

 

“Yes,” Phillip assures with a smile. “Is it a good thing I told you?”

 

“Yes, quite. Thank you, Phillip.” She leans forward and kisses him on the cheek. For Brandon, she pinches his ear and he winces. She gestures between them and to Brandon she warns, “Don’t mess this up, you lunkhead.”

 

When Janet moves to leave the parlor, she can hear Phillip whisper, “I like her,” to Brandon in a goofy, chipper voice. On her way out through the door, she hears Brandon make a grumpy noise in response. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> at first i didn't intend for this to be a two parter, but i want to release this first bit as something a little seperate from the second bit which is going to be janet's friendship blossoming with brandon and phillip, and them helping her get with kenneth. thanks for reading!!


End file.
